An AU Stew
by killerbee07
Summary: Sydney, Adrian, and all the crackpot AUs a fangirl could ever need.
1. Pirates Pt 1

**Pirates Part 1:**

Sydney watched as the flames danced with her fingers, throwing ominous shadows around her chambers. It was a terrifying and wondrous thing to be capable of.

Her father would kill her if he knew.

And she was certain he was catching on. He suspected something wasn't quite right with her; he'd caught her sneaking around more than once. It was only a matter of time before he figured it out. He'd disposed of evil time and time again. It was what he did, and Sydney was positive he would make no exceptions—even for his own daughter.

So, the question she contemplated as she stoked the magic flame was this: wait or leave? Wait for her father to figure her out, or leave before he had the chance?

A simple scrying spell had told her there was a ship in the nearby bay. Her knowledge of local law told her it was there illegally. She was certain she could talk her way on. They'd give her safe passage, and in return she would not inform the authorities of their presence.

She stopped the flow of energy to the flame, and it slowly flickered out. She lifted herself out of bed, and reached for her armoire in the dark. By feel, she pulled her favorite dress out of the chest. She took a deep breath, and then let it out. She barely made a sound.

It was paranoid, she knew, as her father slept on the opposite side of the wing, but she sometimes felt as if he were all knowing. As if he could read every thought of hers, could hear every breath.

As if he would know what she'd decided on.

She pulled the nightgown above her head, and lowered it to the floor.

Her breath caught.

She slipped the new dress on.

She could feel her heart beat in every part of her body.

Sydney reached under the bed, and pulled a bag from underneath.

Her hands shook.

She packed.

She closed her bedroom door behind her.

Then the front door.

She was out.

She made her way down the drive, sticking to the shadows. Twice she passed by night guards, and twice she went unnoticed.

She clamored down the rocky slope, struggling to keep her balance.

She let out a breath when she reached the sandy beach. In front of her spanned a world of water, black and mysterious. Slight ripples distorted the reflections of stars.

A long look behind her revealed that the castle still slept, oblivious to her departure. Her sisters, her mother, her father—they all remained in their beds.

She shook her head. She had to leave. It was for the best.

Now, how to get to the ship…

It was well hidden behind the rocks. You wouldn't even know it was there if you weren't looking for it. The barest bit of wood showed above its craggy shield.

She set course for the boat. It was anchored not too far out; she reckoned she would be able to get their attention.

But, as she crept closer, something nagged at her attention. A flag hung limply in the still night air. The dark and the lack of wind made it unrecognizable, but still Sydney wondered. A flag would tell her so much more about this ship than her scrying spell.

She'd figured it was merely a merchant ship come to trade with the village. The dock was now charging outrageously high prices for a spot. This wouldn't be the first ship to simply anchor in the bay and manage its affairs from there.

But from what she could make out, the flag was completely black. Not a splash of color to be seen.

"Hello?"

Sydney jumped, her eyes finally straying from the flag.

"And who would you be?" Off to the side, lounging against one of the rocks, was a man. He was so pale that his skin glowed white as he stepped into the moonlight.

Sydney cautiously started toward him. "Who are _you_? Is that your ship?"

The man stood, and Sydney realized he towered over her. This close she could make out his features. He was young—handsome, too. His eyes were a vivid shade of green. She'd never seen eyes that green before.

"Yes," The man said. "Do you want something with it?"

"Just passage." Sydney said, but now that the time had come to bargain her place, she was focused on something else entirely. His accent.

It was a medley. Some words sounded like they'd come straight from the royal city itself, while others had a strange harshness to them.

"Passage to where?"

"Anywhere." She came to a stop in front of him, just out of arms reach.

"Running away, are we?" His eyebrow was raised. Something in his tone was teasing.

"That's none of your business." Sydney said. Though, of course, he knew he was right. She was requesting passage on a strange vessel in the middle of the night. What else could she possibly be doing?

"Got yourself in a spot of trouble, did you?" He sounded sympathetic. "I know what that's like. So, what did you do?"

"Again—none of your business. Is there room for me or not?" She demanded.

He eyed her, his gaze sweeping up and down, a small smile on his face. "Look, whoever you are, I'm not sure passage on this boat is exactly what you're looking for. Just go back to your bed and sleep away this night. It'd be best for you."

She made a small noise in the back of her throat. "Is there room on your boat or no?"

He gave her a hard look. "Not for your type."

"_My type_?" She asked incredulously. "Look, never mind. You're merchants, right? You make frequent stops? Well, you can let me off at your first one. It can't be more than several days away."

He suddenly looked as if he was holding back a long, great laugh. "Yes, merchants we are. Fantastic merchants. You'll never meet merchants quite like us. But, my answer remains the same. Go back to bed before one of my crewmates spots you."

"You aren't in a position to deny me anything." Sydney dug in her heels and played her card. "You're anchored here illegally. I could turn you in and who knows what kind of consequences you would face. Their getting stricter and stricter about this kind of thing, you know."

The laughter was gone from his eyes. "One last chance. Leave."

"Make me." Sydney said.

"Oh, but those aren't the orders." He sighed. "Well, you can't say I didn't try."

"Orders? What are you talking about?"

His eyes were locked on something behind her. "I really wish you'd just listened."

Her head whipped around, and she barely had time to make out a group of human figures before she was on the ground. Sand rubbed against her face, and she felt a length of rope rubbing against her wrists. She was flipped back over, and her eyes met emerald green.

A feeling of dread snaked around inside her, and her eyes locked on the dead flag. Under her breath, she whispered an incantation with the purpose of summoning wind. A slight breeze ruffled the flag. Slight, but enough.

Her own eyes revealed to her what the scrying spell hadn't.

"What did you say?" He asked.

She stared up at him, finally realizing what that second accent was. And as she studied him a second, more terrifying truth showed itself.

Fangs.

Fangs and a black flag.

She really should have listened to him.

"You're a vampire pirate."

"That's a mouthful," He remarked. "Just call me Adrian."

Without thinking, she summoned fire. It bit through the rope, but it also singed her dress. She yelped, and almost succeeded in bucking her captor off.

"That was the worst escape attempt I've ever seen." He pinned her down by her shoulders. Her hands were trapped under her.

She worked to free them. "What are you even doing?" He asked.

There.

One hand out and held away from the dress, she summoned the flame. Before he could even register the ashen remains of his rope it sparked to life.

His hands slackened and a look of shock crossed his features.

It was enough.

Sydney pushed away, regained her footing, and sprinted across the beach. Adrian shook off his shock and started after her.

The odds quickly became apparent. She was laden down in a dress and had very little experience with beaches. Adrian, however, suffered neither of those disadvantages.

So, for the second time that night, she was tackled and forced to the ground.

Her breath whooshed out of her lungs in one great gust. She wheezed, "Get off."

"What the hell was that?" At least he sounded shaken.

"I said—" He slapped a hand against her mouth.

"Don't." He said. Her mind went numb. "Answer my question."

She knew she shouldn't. But all of a sudden it seemed like a really good idea. So, as soon as he took his hand away, she said, "It was just a fire spell. Don't worry. I wouldn't have let it hurt anyone."

Subconsciously, she knew he'd just compelled her, and she should be fighting and keeping her mouth closed, but she did none of those things. She lay there, still and dazed.

"Adrian!"

He looked over his shoulder. "Rose."

"What'd ya catch?" A dark beauty entered Sydney's line of sight. Never had Sydney been particularly envious of another girl, least of all about looks, but here was a girl she could be jealous of.

"I caught…" He trailed off, and Sydney could see him working through what to tell the other girl. "Just a runaway looking for a free ride."

"Just a runaway, eh?" A new voice entered the conversation, and if Adrian's compulsion hadn't already frozen her, this man certainly would've done the trick. _He_ looked like an honest to god pirate. A real one, with an earring and a feather hat. Yet, through all the sparkling, ruffled plumage was a man Sydney was sure could inspire fear no matter what he was wearing.

"She knew what I was, captain." Adrian added.

"I was just leaving." She fought her way through the haze, breaking Adrian's spell.

"Were you, now?" The man chuckled. "We can't have that."

Even from her spot on the ground, she managed to muster up some dignity. "I don't associate with Moroi or pirates, and you can be sure I would never have approached if I'd realized I would be dealing with both."

"Moroi?" The man cocked an eyebrow. "It's been a while since I've heard that word from a human. You're in the know."

"The know?" Rose scoffed.

"Five pounds she comes from one of those alchemist families." A redhead had joined the group around her, along with three friends.

"I do," She informed him. "And about 100 more inhabit a castle just half an hour's walk North. When they realize I'm gone, they'll start looking." Her eyes locked on the captain's. "So let me go."

"But you were just running away, were you not?" His teeth flashed in the moonlight. He was grinning.

"I've decided to run away another night, on a different ship." Sydney informed him. She kept her voice calm, though there was a fierce panic welling up inside her.

Here she was, on a secluded beach, held captive by a ship of unnatural criminals. Everything she'd been told about their kind came back to her in a moment.

_They have no souls._

_They keep humans for blood._

_They don't like sunlight._

_They go into your mind and dictate what you think._

_They are able to control the very world around them._ And not in the way Sydney was able to. No, they didn't need incantations or ingredients to help them with their spells. They weren't even fatigued by their kind of magic. It was natural in the most unnatural way possible.

The captain laughed, and several of the men and women clustered around them joined in. "Come on, lads. Let's get the gold on board. Adrian,"

This was it. Would they let her go?

"Tie her up. Put her in my cabin, I want to have a little chat."

Sydney began to scream. _Which really_, she thought, _I should have been doing from the moment I first saw this man_.

He put a hand over her mouth and shushed her.

"Don't you dare compel me again!" She shouted into his hand. "You soulless, evil bastard!"

"Soulless and evil, huh?" Rose said with laughter in her voice.

"She's not wrong there." The redhead agreed.

Putting his mouth to her ear, Adrian backed his tone with an ample amount of power. "Shout and struggle all you want, but don't even think about pulling that fire stunt again. Captain Mazur will never let you go if you do."

**Well, there it is.**

**Review?**


	2. Pirates Pt 2

**Pirates Pt 2:**

Adrian rushed to get a room ready, then bolted through narrow hallways and across the deck to lean against the captain's door. He strained to hear conversation through the thick wood.

"Why, I am Abe Mazur." The captain's voice glided through the air, as if in answer to a question. "You're quite certain you've never heard of me?"

Adrian couldn't catch the girl's reply.

"Well, I am a man of many hats, a man of business. But you can call me captain. And you?"

She didn't say anything.

"Milk? Sugar?" Abe sounded unaffected by her unfriendly silence.

"I don't want any of your godforsaken tea." She answered as though fighting through a lump in her throat. Adrian could barely hear her.

"Really, must you call everything on this ship godforsaken?" It was evident in his tone that she'd done this several times, and Abe was getting tired of it.

"I'm just telling it like it is." The girl answered, her voice growing stronger.

"You're going to starve if you don't eat something." Abe warned.

"I prefer starvation to damnation."

She'd have to be crazy to believe she would go to Hell for drinking Abe's tea or eating his biscuits. She didn't strike Adrian as someone who was particularly crazy, but she sounded dead serious.

Then again, mistaking Abe for the devil might be all too easy. Adrian could see the resemblance.

Abe sighed. "Have it your way, then."

There were a few distant clinking sounds. Adrian guessed the captain was loading a plate for himself. "So, alchemist girl. What brought you outside on this brisk spring night?"

"You already know I was running away."

"What were you running away from?"

"Is that any of your business?"

"It is now that you are a passenger on my ship."

"An _unwilling_ passenger." The girl reminded him.

"Then I suppose you'll have to _unwillingly_ state your business." Abe reasoned.

There was a tense silence, and Adrian just knew she was thinking of him. He was proven right a moment later.

"If you intend to use compulsion again—"

"No, no," Abe assured her. "No more compulsion. Adrian was quite out of line in doing so."

Adrian didn't know what had possessed him to commit such an act. After a year of abstaining from the practice, he'd broken his record by compelling an innocent girl twice in one night.

Of course, another thing to think about was her little magic trick. Adrian didn't know how it was possible—humans didn't have magic like the Moroi—but she'd summoned fire. Clear as day, he'd seen it appear in her palm.

_Maybe she's some sort of flame thrower. Right, _he rolled his eyes at himself_, a likely story. Poor little alchemist girl with big dreams of joining the circus._ _Or,_ Adrian thought, _perhaps it was an alchemist trick. They are rumored to have more than a few scientific feats up their sleeves._

Yes, that was the more plausible of the two. That had to be it.

But, still… something didn't quite add up…

Well, whatever it was, he couldn't bring himself to regret warning her off in the way he did. If Abe caught wind of her peculiar talent, he'd likely never let her go.

And, though Adrian wanted to know what had happened as much as Abe would, Adrian had seen her fear. Through her bravado, Adrian sensed that she was absolutely terrified. He'd watched men about to get their heads loped off by Abe, and that girl had felt more horror than even them. He couldn't imagine what it would be like to force her to stay aboard her entire life. Her misery would make him miserable.

So he'd lied, and he'd compelled, and now he was listening.

"Adrian, I never took you for an eavesdropper." And now he'd been caught; though, he wasn't particularly worried.

"And what are you here for?" Adrian knew perfectly well what her answer would be.

"I'm going to eavesdrop." Rose grinned. It was that same mischievous grin that had Adrian captured from the moment he'd seen it all that time ago. Him and every other man. "But, unlike you," she was saying, "I have a right to do so."

"A right?"

"The captain is my father." Rose explained and put her ear to the door. "Children are supposed to spy on their fathers. I'm fulfilling my daughterly duties."

The door was suddenly jerked away from them, and Abe's solid frame replaced it.

Adrian tensed. Okay, now he was worried. With Abe you never knew what the punishment would be.

The captain looked down on them, his face giving nothing away. Finally, he sighed. "If you are going to sneak around, at least whisper. I thought I taught you better."

"Oh, well. We'll do better next time." Rose promised, shaking off her surprise. "Are you going to let us in, old man?"

_Of course she isn't concerned_, Adrian thought. _But I sure as hell still am._

"What do you think, dear?" Abe turned around.

Adrian couldn't see far into the room, but he could well imagine the girl's expression as she said her next words. Pinched, sour, and angry. "I think," she said curtly, "that it doesn't matter what I think. You're just going to do whatever you want."

Abe looked utterly delighted as he turned back to the door. "Would you listen to that? It's been a while since I've been spoken to in that manner. And by an alchemist child, no less."

"And you're… happy about that?" Rose asked.

At the same time the girl quietly huffed, "I am _not_ a child." Were it not for his vampiric hearing, Adrian wouldn't have caught it.

"I take it the cargo is safely below deck?" Abe asked Rose. At her nod, he retreated back into the room. "Ah, well," he said. "We've had quite the night. I believe we could all do with some sleep. Adrian, would you kindly show the Miss to her bunk?"

"Of course."

The captain ushered all three of them out of his rooms. Night air greeted Adrian's face once back up on deck.

As soon as Abe's door was shut Rose halted both the girl and Adrian in their tracks. "So, do you have a name?"

"Of course I have one." The girl put up a convincing, condescending show. Adrian was impressed she'd held up this long—he'd have expected tears by now.

"What is it, then?" Rose put her hands on her hips.

The girl didn't speak, just glared.

"I told you my name." Adrian reminded her.

"And then you kidnapped me."

"Can it really be considered kidnapping if you came to us asking for a ride?" Rose wondered.

"Yes." The girl said indignantly. "I changed my mind, and you still made me come! You forced me onto this boat! It _is_ considered kidnapping!" By the end, she was in near hysteria.

_Here it is. The breakdown I was expecting._

"Look… girl." Adrian said softly, before Rose could respond. The girl had adopted a wild, trapped expression. She was bound to explode any minute now. "I'm sure Captain Mazur will let you off at the first stop. He's just curious. As soon as he grows bored of your novelty, you'll be off this ship. Alive." He added.

"And if he grows bored before we reach port? Or suppose he doesn't get bored until after land is long gone?" The girl eyed the ocean. Her voice broke. "How far is the next stop, anyway?"

"Three days, if the weather stays clear." Adrian answered.

"And how far are we from…" She didn't finish her sentence.

"Your home?" Adrian finished for her. "We hauled up the anchor as you were getting… situated."

She nodded.

Then, without warning, she dove for the edge.

Had it not been for Rose, she would have made it over, too.

"Let go of me!" She cried, clawing at Rose's hands and arms. "Let go!"

Rose held fast.

In the commotion, the two girls didn't notice the door to the right of Abe's open. They didn't notice the hulking, duster-clad form step out into the night. But Adrian did.

"Belikov. How nice of you to join us. Lovely night, isn't it?" Adrian greeted him.

Dimitri Belikov, Abe's right hand man. He noted the situation with a grim expression. "Quite." He answered and strode over to the struggling girls.

Separating them took some creative maneuvering, but he did it. The girl still fought, but Belikov's grip was like iron. She'd never escape that.

Unless, of course, she tried her magic trick.

She didn't.

"Thanks, comrade." Rose dusted off her shirt and tucked a stray piece of hair behind her ear. "We almost had a jumper."

"I can see that."

She wasn't fighting so much anymore. It looked as if she were trying to avoid contact as much as possible—which was ridiculous, considering.

"I'm going to escort her to her bunk now." Adrian shot a look at Rose. "Unless you feel the need to start another conversation?"

Rose scowled. "It's not my fault she almost bailed."

"You were scaring her." Adrian said.

"I would've jumped anyway." The girl put in. The wild look was gone from her eyes, and she held her chin up once again. It seemed the fear-induced irrationality was over—for now, at least. "Conversation or not."

"If you stop trying to get loose I'll make sure we have as little contact as possible." Adrian played a chip. "But, if you try and run…"

She nodded. "Fine."

Adrian took hold of her. He tried to make his grip as light as possible without making it weak. "Come on. Bedtime."

Belikov released her arm, and both he and Rose disappeared into their respective rooms on either side of Abe's—Dimitri stopping to give them one last look. When it was clear she wasn't going to fight, the door swung shut.

"Hang on." The girl stopped walking about halfway there. "You don't expect me to room with…your kind, do you?" She sounded disgusted.

"Why," Adrian challenged. "Would that be a problem?"

Judging from the look on her face—that would most definitely be a problem.

"And just how do I know I'll wake up in the morning? How do I know you won't bite me in my sleep?" She demanded, her eyes wide.

He studied her, really studied her, for the first time that night.

She was pretty, he decided, with dark blonde hair a bit on the short side, and brown eyes that glinted in the moonlight. She was small and skinny, but he knew she was far from weak. In studying her he realized that as ridiculous as it sounded to Adrian, for her, getting bitten it was a legitimate fear. She really believed that would happen if she let her guard down.

"Well, then, I guess you'll be happy to know the captain wants you in a private room." Adrian said.

Though fractionally relieved, she still glowered at him. "You could have just told me that."

He shrugged. For a moment, all that could be heard was the lapping of the waves against the ship.

Then, he tugged at her arm and continued leading her to her room. He stopped in front of the door, and out of the corner of his eye he watched as the girl realized the door locked from the outside. And that he had the key.

He let her in.

"Well, here it is." He told her.

It wasn't bad, by any means. It was tidy, with a decent bed and a clothes chest. But her face still showed dismay.

"My prison cell." She sighed.

"We have those, you know." Adrian said conversationally, and her face whitened. "This is much nicer. Not even close to a cell."

She got the hint and complained no more.

She backed up slowly, not taking her eyes on him. She jumped as he closed the door behind them with a small _click_.

"What are you doing?" She asked. She looked about ready to faint.

"I just want to talk." Adrian said. He put his hands in the air and sat on the chest. "Relax, I'm not… hungry." It felt odd having to reassure someone of that. The only humans he'd ever known were glad when he was hungry.

"What do you want to talk about?" She cautiously said.

"To start off with," he put his hands in his lap, "could you please tell me your name? Or at least _a_ name. I need to call you something other than 'girl'."

She stiffened.

"It really is a ridiculous thing to withhold." He prodded.

She gave what had become her trademark answer. "My name is none of your business."

Adrian sighed. "Well then, _girl_. I want to talk about what you did on the beach."

She stayed silent.

"You said it was a fire spell." He prompted.

"You made me say it was a fire spell." She scowled. "With compulsion."

He winced. "Yes, I did, and I'm sorry about that. But I also lied for you. I gave you a chance to get off this boat."

"What are you talking about? You're the one who brought me on." She crossed her arms.

"I wasn't lying up on deck." He told her. "Once Abe gets bored, he'll let you go. And if I'd told him about you, he'd never get bored."

She nodded. "Alright. Thank you for that."

Adrian regarded her for another couple moments, and then tapped into the magic that was unique to him. He brought her aura into view. "You're exhausted." He noted. "And panicked. And homesick already. But mostly exhausted."

She fidgeted. His oral report of her feelings clearly made her nervous. "You don't know any of those things." She finally said.

Adrian let her aura fade from sight. "We'll talk more tomorrow."

He stood, and she didn't stop him as he exited the room. Just before he put the key in the lock, however, the door opened up a crack.

Just enough for him to see an eye, golden by the light of candle.

She sized him up.

"And how do you know I don't have a spell that can unlock doors?" She asked.

"Well, unless you have a spell that can get you past a vampire guard, you're out of luck. I'm used to the night shift, so I won't be tired any time soon." She worked out that he wasn't going anywhere. "And a spell that will stop you from being injured after jumping from the ship, or I guarantee you'll be floating meat. And a spell that can give you enough energy to even get to shore."

She made a face.

He sighed, and his eyebrows drew together. "You will get off when it's time. I know it isn't the easiest thing to do, but trust me when I say you'll be free soon enough."

One minute passed, then two, then, "Sydney. My name is Sydney."

She slammed the door shut.

Adrian proceeded to lock it and slump against the wall on the opposite side of the hall.

"Sydney," He said. "Sydney."

**And sadly, that is probably the last of that. Though, has asked if she can continue the story, so keep an eye out for it!**

**Up next: The Roaring 20's.**


	3. The Roaring 20's

**Quick note: I tried to make the slang as accurate as possible, but if anyone notices something they know is wrong, don't hesitate to tell me!**

**The Roaring 20's:**

Sydney detested the place the moment she saw it.

"Carly, can we please just _not_ go?" Sydney pleaded, and shivered for the millionth time that night as a breeze chilled her bare arms and legs. Those were not places she usually felt breeze, and she'd gladly be rid of this stupid, short, red flapper dress as soon as possible.

"Come on, Syd. Live a little!" Carly smiled. "And besides, you're all dolled up."

Carly dragged her sister across the street, toward a joint that poured music into the night each time the door opened. It was accompanied, Sydney noted unenthusiastically, by a plume of cigarette smoke.

"Father will kill us when he learns we visited a speakeasy." Sydney warned Carly, blinking her eyes rapidly. She was still getting used to the heavy makeup.

_Born and raised by high society, I was. And I much prefer it, if it means escaping these sequins and stupid head ornaments._

"_If_, Sydney." Carly chided her sister's pessimism. "_If_ father finds out—which he won't. I've been hundreds of times and he doesn't know. I even came home positively splifficated once and he paid no mind."

"You think he doesn't know." Sydney muttered. "And what does _splifficated _mean?"

"He doesn't know." Carly ignored her question.

A few hushed words with a man on the other side of the door, and Carly was leading her sister into a decent sized brick building. People danced everywhere—and in much closer quarters than Sydney would deem appropriate. A band was onstage, playing away, intoxicated by the same rush that held the audience.

"Oh, I really don't like this." Sydney's distaste was clear on her face.

"Smile," Carly had to shout to be heard over the music and bustle. "Get a wiggle on!"

"No!" Sydney protested.

"Well I'm not going to let you stand around all night like a Mrs. Grundy." Carly rolled her eyes. "Come on, it's really fun!"

"I-" Sydney cut herself off when she realized what she was about to say.

_I don't want to have fun._

Gosh, she really was a—how did Carly put it?—Mrs. Grundy.

She let her sister lead her out onto the floor. "I don't know how to dance like this."

"It's easy," Carly told her. "Just go with the beat. Go with the crowd. Don't think."

"_Don't think?_" Sydney said incredulously.

Her sister laughed. "I know it'll be hard, but just try it! Just tonight? Please?"

Sydney stiffly moved her hips, watching as other people completely let themselves go. They looked deranged.

"Not like that!" Her sister rolled her eyes and placed her hands on Sydney's hips. "Like this!"

Her sister led her, and Sydney winced as she realized the wide range of motion her hips were making. "I'm not exactly comfortable with this."

"That's because you're not going doing what I said." Her sister stopped dancing. "Sydney, no one is going to judge you. We're all here for the same reason."

"To become criminals?"

"To have a swell time." Her sister gave her a look, then a wicked grin spread across her face. "Watch me shimmy."

And shimmy she did.

Sydney gasped. "Carly!"

Several men whistled. Sydney shot glares at each of them, and they looked away in turn.

Well, almost all of them looked away. There was one—a sandy-haired, blue-eyed man—who merely winked. Sydney gave him an extra dose of menace and he finally averted his eyes.

"I don't suppose you know any of them, do you?" Sydney asked disapprovingly.

"The blonde one is named Keith." Carly had moved on to a less provocative dance. "He's a cute egg, but he's almost always doped."

"I don't like him." Sydney said.

"You don't like anything or anyone in this building." Her sister sighed—a sigh which couldn't be heard over the band. "Sydney, just try. You went into this thinking you'd hate it. Please just wipe the slate clean and dance with an open mind?"

Sydney nodded reluctantly. "Alright."

"Jake." Her sister beamed. "Now, copy me."

And so the night went on—Carly showing Sydney all her risqué and modern moves, and Sydney slowly learning to perform them with confidence.

"You know what would make this night the bee's knees?" Carly asked.

"What?" Sydney stopped dancing. She was breathing hard, and although she still absolutely looked down on places like these, she couldn't remember the last time she'd had so much fun.

"A little drink." Her eyes sparkled.

"No." Sydney said resolutely. "I draw the line at drinking."

Carly put on a pleading look. "Please?"

"No."

"Pretty please?"

"The answer is still no."

"Oh, don't be such a wet blanket. That was your answer to dancing, and look how well _that_ turned out." Her sister pointed out. "You're having a fabulous time."

"Dancing doesn't get you a jail sentence." Sydney replied. "Alcohol does."

Carly took her sister's hands. "Just a little one? Nothing that'll get you too zozzled, just give you an edge. Then you can say you've lived the flapper experience, if only for just one night."

Sydney scowled. "A little one. Then, we leave."

"A little one, then we'll ankle some more, and then we'll leave." Her sister corrected. Next, she began the complicated process of weaving through the crowd.

"Carly?" Sydney hadn't realized how far into the crowd they'd been. She began to lose track of the deep blue of Carly's dress within the colorful mass. Further, further, gone.

Great.

"Carly?" She called again, but there came no answer.

Sydney looked around, trapped in the mass of moving bodies with no idea which way she was facing.

"You're a lost little bunny."

Sydney didn't realize until a moment later that the comment was meant for her. When she did, she turned to face the speaker and was surprised when she found herself face to face with what might possibly have been the most gorgeous male specimen she'd ever set eyes on. Chiseled features and styled brown hair framed vibrant green eyes that imprinted themselves in her mind.

"Oh." She said, then shook her head. "Yes. I am. Could you point me to the bar?"

"If it's a drink you're looking for, I've got one right here." He lifted a glass. It was filled halfway with some sort of brown liquid.

Sydney faltered. "Ah, well, I was looking for something… different."

He grinned. "You sure?" She nodded. "Follow me."

Then, in a gesture that startled her, he grabbed her hand and began to push through the fray.

She kept with him—though only because he wouldn't let go.

Finally, the bodies became less crowded—though, unfortunately, the cigarette smoke became thicker. The music wasn't so jarringly close, and the newfound quiet made room for other noises.

"Sydney?" She heard her sister's voice.

"Carly!" Sydney scanned as best she could from her relatively short height.

"Sydney," her sister appeared in front of her, her hand over her heart. "Goodness, I'd thought I'd lost you."

"You did." Sydney told her.

"Sorry." The face she wore was apologetic, though it soon morphed into a grin. "And who might this be?"

"Adrian." The man introduced himself.

"Mmmm," her sister held out an arm for a shake. Sydney didn't know if she'd really expected him to shake it; however, she wasn't all that surprised when he pressed a kiss to the back of her sister's hand. Where before she would never have known a man to do something so bold, now it hardly fazed her.

_The night has changed me. _

While he was bent over her hand, Carly mouthed _'cake-eater.'_

Sydney had no idea what that meant. _'What?'_

'_Dewdropper' _She tried again.

Sydney shrugged.

Their exchange took only a few seconds, and soon Adrian raised his head.

"This is Sydney's first time," Carly said conversationally. "You wouldn't believe how much wrangling it took to get her here. I'm quite proud of myself."

"Really?" Adrian appraised Sydney. "Well, you did splendidly, if I do say so myself. She's a pretty bird in red."

Pink bloomed on Sydney's cheeks. Right. The short, red dress. She'd almost managed to forget it.

"And how." Carly agreed. "She turned out to be less of a canceled stamp than I thought she'd be."

"She dances like a natural." He nodded.

"You saw us?" You'd think he'd just complimented her from the way she responded.

"That I did. I was tempted to join in." He took a sip of whatever was in his cup.

"Well, you're just in time for Sydney's first drink." Carly turned her gaze to her sister.

"Something small." Sydney warned her sister again. Carly had that look in her eyes, the one she sometimes got before pulling off an idea that she deemed brilliant, but Sydney deemed stupid.

"Right, right. Don't worry." Carly turned toward the bar. "Wait here. I'll get you something good."

Carly squirmed her way into the small pack of people surrounding the bar.

Sydney sighed and turned back to Adrian, who was studying her with the oddest look on his face.

"What?" She asked.

Adrian shook his head. "You really do look marvelous in red."

"Oh…" Sydney fidgeted with her dress. "Thank you. It's a color I usually avoid."

"You shouldn't." Adrian advised. "If I were you, I'd wear red all the time."

Sydney shook her head and smiled. "Well, then, take a good long look. I guarantee I'll never be seen in red again." As soon as she said it, she couldn't believe the words had come out of her mouth. Had she really just invited a man to look at her? Her father would be appalled if he knew.

Adrian threw back his head and laughed. It was a nice laugh, infectious too. "Is that so?"

"It is."

"And are you certain there is nothing I can do to change your mind?"

"Nothing."

"What a pity," Adrian swirled his drink. "Well, if I'm never to see you in these glad rags again, I suppose I should make the most of tonight." He held out his arm. "May I have this dance?"

Sydney hesitated and looked toward her sister, who'd squeezed her way up to the front and was now placing an order.

"Or perhaps we should consider a run." Adrian said.

"What?" Sydney turned back to him and discovered he was looking toward the front of the joint, where things had grown even more chaotic than before.

"Yes, a run." Adrian grabbed Sydney's arm and pulled. "We've got coppers."

Sydney knew what that meant, and she knew running was most definitely a good idea.

"Carly!" She called as they hurried past the bar. "Adrian, my sister."

"Is behind us." Adrian assured her. And a look back revealed that she was indeed behind them. A lot of people were.

They reached a back door in a matter of seconds, and they burst out into the night.

When compared to the intense waves of body heat she'd been constantly bombarded with indoors, the outdoors was a cruel smack in the face. Sydney felt the goose bumps rise on her arms.

"Hey!" A voice shouted.

"Oh, lovely, they've got the place surrounded." Adrian mused as several people pushed past them from behind and ran out onto the streets.

"What do we do?" What worry Adrian failed to express in his tone Sydney had cram packed into hers.

He shrugged. "Let's cheese it. Wasn't that always the plan?"

And so they ran.

It was difficult at first. Their height difference made matching pace a challenge, and Sydney's shoes didn't help any.

But she found her balance, and they held tight to one another's hands.

_Holding hands with him again? That's twice in less than 10 minutes._

There was an officer right on their heels at one point, but as Adrian lead them through a series of alley's and side streets he fell farther and farther behind, and was eventually lost.

When they finally stopped, Sydney was wheezing as was Adrian; yet, they were both grinning madly.

"I'll bet you've never done _that_ before."

Sydney giggled breathlessly. "It's a night of firsts."

"First high speed police pursuit."

"_Last_ high speed police pursuit."

"First speakeasy."

"_Last_ speakeasy."

"First red dress."

"_Last_ red dress."

He caught his breath and shot her a sly look. "First kiss."

All of a sudden his breath was on her cheek, and she jerked away before his lips could get any closer.

"I've been kissed before." Sydney declared.

"Have you?" He arched an eyebrow.

She hadn't, and from the way he was looking at her, he knew it.

He leaned closer, she paused, then swayed a bit forward and their lips connected.

It was crazy, but they were kissing. It was electric. Whoever first conceived the idea of kissing was a genius. His lips were soft and melded perfectly against hers.

And then he had to go and open his mouth.

_What is that…?_

Sydney wrinkled her nose and pulled away. "So that's what alcohol tastes like."

"You've got a keen kisser." Sydney wasn't the best at deciphering tones, but it sounded as if he'd enjoyed it. "Hey, you never had your first drink." Adrian realized.

He stepped away, and held something up. It took a few moments, but Sydney finally recognized it for what it was. "You still have your drink."

Only a small bit remained, most of it had splashed out in the chase, but there it was.

"We were being chased down by police men and you didn't drop your drink?" She was amazed to say the least.

Adrian shrugged. "I like my vices."

Sydney took the drink in her hand. Tipping her head back, she swallowed. There'd barely been enough left inside for it to even qualify as a sip, but it was enough for Sydney to realize it was a foul tasting substance.

"Attagirl!"

She made a face. "You know, maybe they were on to something in outlawing this stuff."

Adrian shook his head. "Just you wait. It'll grow on you."

"First and last drink, remember?" Sydney handed the glass back.

"This was more of a teaser." Adrian shook his head. "Wait until I get some real alcohol in you."

It was then that Sydney realized what she'd just done. She'd evaded law enforcement, shared a kiss with a man she barely knew, and then knocked back his beverage. And now he was promising to get her drunk.

"I'm a felon." She said numbly. "I'm a felon and a… a hotsy-totsy and—"

"Now, now," Adrian interrupted. "No need to cast a kitten. You're not a hotsy-totsy—that's not even how the word is used. I believe the term you're looking for is Sheba." At the look on her face, he added, "But, if it makes you feel better, you come off like a downright bluenose."

"Bluenose? That's another thing! I haven't understood half the things I've heard tonight. Zozzled, canceled stamp, dewdropper. What do those things even _mean_?"

Adrian rested a hand on her shoulder. "Sydney, calm down. It's a new world you've ventured into. You can't expect to understand it all at once. And besides," he continued before Sydney could say something else, "now you have at least _one_ exciting story to tell the kids."

Sydney shook her head. "No one will ever know about this night but me, you, and Carly."

"Alright, stay mum about it." Adrian draped an arm around her. "But you made a friend. That's got to count for something."

Sydney tensed under his arm, but relaxed after a moment. She let out a long sigh and nodded. "I suppose. Even if you are a cake-eater and a dewdropper—whatever those words mean."

"Who called me that?" He sounded insulted.

"Carly. Why?" Sydney asked.

He shook his head. "At least she didn't call me a skid rogue."

"What is a skid rogue?" Sydney asked, getting annoyed. "Have you been called that before?"

Adrian chuckled. "You have so much to learn, Sydney. I don't know how I'll have enough time to teach you."

"Start with cake-eater. What does that mean?"

"It means I like women." Adrian smirked. "And she's right on with that one."

Sydney rolled her eyes. "Now, what about dewdropper?"

"A dewdropper is someone who lazes around in bed all day with nothing better to do."

Sydney waited a moment, and then said, "I notice you don't validate the term."

"I'm not a dewdropper." Adrian assured her.

Sydney stayed silent.

"I am not!" Adrian insisted. "I have far better things to do than lay around getting bed sores." He dropped his arm from her shoulder. "Speaking of better things to do—I can get us into a spiffy juice joint that's just a few blocks down. What do you say about being my date?"

Sydney shook her head. "I'd better get home. I'm worried about Carly. I hope she made it out."

Adrian nodded. "Another night, then. For now, I'll settle for walking you home."

Sydney raised her eyebrows. "You're going to walk me home?"

"What kind of egg did you take me for?" Adrian held out an arm for the second time that night, and this time she took it.

"Not the kind to walk a woman home." Sydney said.

"Well," Adrian set his glass on the sidewalk, "I'll have you know I am."

"You're also a litterer." Sydney eyed the cup.

"He's a dead soldier." Adrian said in excuse. "What am I to do? It's not like I can return it."

"I suppose you've got a point there."

They walked in silence for a while. They stopped once so Adrian could give her his coat, and then they kept going.

"Well, this is it." Sydney stopped in front of a large, Victorian-style mansion.

"Swanky." Adrian remarked.

"Fancy, you mean."

"Same difference." Adrian smiled. "You're learning."

"I am."

"You know, I never caught your last name." Adrian said.

"Sage. Sydney Sage." She held out her hand. When he gently grabbed it, she shook, and then pulled it away before it met his lips.

He stood stunned for a moment, and then laughed. "You know, Sage, I reckon you've made me a bit goofy for you tonight. Do you know what _that_ means?"

"I can infer." Sydney told him. "Now, what's your last name?"

He swept into an elaborate bow. "Adrian Ivashkov. Pleased to meet you."

Sydney smiled. "You're doing pretty swanky yourself."

"Life isn't all bad." He agreed.

She waited a moment. "Well, the lights are off. That's a good sign."

"It is."

"I should go."

"I guess. Since we walked all the way here."

Sydney didn't move.

"It's not too late to go to that ritzy place I was telling you about."

Sydney smiled. "Maybe I'll see you again, Adrian." She handed him his coat and then headed up the steps.

"Sage, wait." Adrian stopped her.

"Yes?"

His face was serious. "About that drink…"

Sydney came back down the steps. "I think it's been established that I'm not one for… giggle juice." She watched his face carefully. "But I do like coffee?"

"You like Java?" He sounded surprised.

"Coffee." She corrected.

"Coffee's good. Coffee's great." Adrian nodded. "How about Tuesday?"

"Tuesday is fine."

He beamed. "Tuesday it is."

**The End.**

**Quick question: does anyone else have the crazy head canon that Sydney's mom came from a family of magic users? I mean, think about it. Sydney says she doesn't really know her family on her mom's side. Also, if the traces of magic in her blood mean she's got magic and is a witch, then wouldn't it be hereditary? Maybe Sydney's mom couldn't do magic or hated magic so she married an alchemist. Or maybe I'm just making stuff up to justify why she would marry **_**Jared Sage**_**.**

**Oh, well. I hope you enjoyed this chapter!**


	4. In Which Adrian Is a Mermaid

… **yeah, I don't really know how this happened…**

**In Which Adrian is a Mermaid:**

Sydney let her feet dangle off the dock, creating small ripples.

She knew she should get back inside, the sun was nearly set, but she couldn't remember the last time she'd felt this peaceful. For once, she'd gone a whole day without thinking of her parent's fights or her younger sister's increasingly hostile attitude. She'd gone without worrying about Carly and how she was doing, or how the cat was appearing increasingly sick.

She felt completely relaxed for the first time in months. She couldn't bear to return to the lake house just yet.

She picked up a rock and tossed it into the lake. _Kerplunk,_ it said as it landed.

She tossed another one even farther.

And another.

And another.

She grabbed a fifth one, a good sized one, and thought, _I bet it'll make it to the middle. _She chucked it as hard as she could and tracked its flight. Then, with horror, she watched as a young man broke the surface.

"Look out!" She cried. She knew where the rock was going to land.

And land it did.

"Gah!"

Sydney barely gave herself time to think about it before jumping in. She swam as fast as she could. "Oh my God, are you okay?"

"You threw a rock at me!" He put a hand to his head and it came away bloodied.

"I didn't!" Sydney came to a stop a few feet away, desperately searching his face for…she didn't even know what for. "I was aiming for the middle and you came out of nowhere! You're not _too_ badly hurt, are you?"

She paddled closer and tried to get a good look at the cut.

"I'm okay." He said, touching it again. "It's not as bad as it looks. It's not even very deep."

Sydney shook her head. "There's a first aid kit in the boathouse. Let me go get it."

"I'm still swimming." He assured her. "I'll be fine."

"Well, I'm not just going to let you be on your way with a head injury that _I_ caused. It could get infected or something." Sydney narrowed her eyes. This was the look she gave to people when she wanted them to know she wasn't budging.

"Alright, where is this boathouse?" He asked.

"Not too far. You can see it from here." Sydney turned and began to swim. She hesitated—should he be swimming in this condition? She couldn't just leave him here. "Follow me."

Sydney kicked for the side of the lake, and he started up behind her. She couldn't help but admire how smoothly he was able to swim. He hardly caused any ripples.

"So," he said conversationally, "I'm Adrian. Who are you?"

"Sydney."

"Why were you throwing rocks?" He asked.

Sydney shrugged as best she could. "I just was." She wasn't feeling up to talking just now. She was too busy worrying for his life. Sydney was no medical expert, not by a long shot, but if he was seriously hurt…

She swam faster.

The well-kept shed that jutted out into the water got bigger and bigger. The Sages shared it with the neighbors, and thank God the neighbors practically lived on the lake. The boathouse would be in ruins if they didn't keep it in shape.

"That's it?"

"Yeah."

Sydney frowned, a problem just occurring to her. Something that definitely put a wrench in her plan. "Crap. I don't have the key."

"Oh. Well. There goes the first aid kit." He didn't sound incredibly heartbroken.

"No, no." Sydney got an idea. "Wait here."

She took a deep breath and plunged. She moved deeper and deeper, and worked up the courage to open her eyes. Though the murk she could see where the wall of the boathouse stopped, and simple metal stilts kept the structure anchored to the ground.

Before she ran out of breath, she swam at the opening.

She came up between a boat and a small dock, relieved to find that the light was on. She wouldn't have known where to start looking for the light switch.

Sydney looked at the boat again. She could tell it belonged to her father because of how rusty it was. It was in such a bad state she wouldn't be surprised if it was leaking.

She hauled herself onto the dock and looked down at her sopping self. Her shorts and t-shirt dripped water at an astonishing rate. "Great. Wonder what Father will have to say about this?"

She knew what her dad would say, and she decided she would be sneaking into the house through a window in order to avoid it.

Sydney spotted the door, but as it turned out, she wouldn't need it.

"Nice place."

She jumped, startled. "I thought I told you to stay where you were!"

"Although, this boat doesn't look too good. In fact, it's near death." Adrian ran his hand over the side.

"There are all sorts of bacteria in lakes and you just submerge yourself!?" Sydney forgot about the door and headed straight over to where she knew the medical kit was stored. "You have an open wound; do you know how stupid that was?"

"I'm fine. Besides, I'm about to get treated by Nurse Sydney, and she knows her stuff. She won't let me get an infection." Adrian put his arms on the dock, but didn't come out of the water.

"Are you going to come up?" Sydney asked with an underlying tone that said, _this isn't a question—it's an order._

But he shook his head and smiled. "Why don't you come back in?"

Sydney was on a one-way road to exasperated. Was he flirting, or was he being serious? _It's an odd thing to be serious about_, Sydney thought, _refusing_ _to get out of the water. But it seems an equally odd thing to flirt over._

"I'll stay up here, thanks." She'd already started the drying process. Maybe, if she took her time and walked back to the house, no one would be able to tell she'd taken a dip.

Sydney knelt down and rifled through the kit, pulling out a bottle of fresh water and some gauze. She leaned over and cleaned the cut thoroughly. He'd been right. It wasn't as bad as it looked.

Adrian scowled when he saw her reaching for the band-aids. "I hate band-aids. Can we just… not?"

"I'm the nurse and I say you're getting a band-aid. Which one?" Sydney left no room for argument.

"The blue one." He said moodily. "But I'll pull it right off as soon as we part ways."

"And that'll be on you," Sydney said, "but while you're under my watch, you _will_ wear it."

She aligned it with the cut and stuck it on. "There."

Now that she wasn't so worried for his health, she realized he wasn't all that bad looking.

In the golden wash of the boathouse's dying light bulb, she could see his eyes were a spectacular shade of green. And where before she had noticed his features were clean cut, now he almost looked like a Greek sculpture.

His chest was nice too. Pale, but he wasn't beefy and blocky like some guys. He was lean. He had a swimmers body.

Before she could stop herself, her eyes strayed ever downward. And they saw nothing.

His skin didn't fade like you'd expect, it just blacked out. There was a white strip of skin just below the water and then… nothing. No swimsuit, and no legs.

For a moment she caught the faintest glimmer and thought, _Is he wearing sequined swim trunks?_ But then the glimmer was gone and she was back to looking at nothing.

The sound of his voice penetrated her thoughts, and she looked up to see him staring at her.

"What?" Sydney could feel her face turning beet red.

"I asked if you could tell I wasn't wearing anything." Adrian repeated.

Sydney's mouth fell open and she slapped a hand over her eyes. "Are you serious?" She squeaked. "You're a skinny dipper!"

His laughter echoed oddly off the boats and the water. "You should've seen your face!"

"You've been naked this whole time!" Sydney avoided his gaze and hastily repacked the kit.

She didn't want to think about it—she actively tried not to—but she couldn't help it. It didn't look like he was naked, at least not from what she'd seen. It looked like there was just nothing under his torso.

There was no way he was skinny dipping.

"You're lying." She called him out on it. "You are wearing something. Dark swim trunks, you have to be."

"Am I?" He was playing with her, she was certain of that.

"You are a piece of work." Sydney shoved the first aid kit onto its place on the shelf.

"Aren't I?" Adrian's wicked expression hadn't gone anywhere. "But in all seriousness: thank you."

Sydney nodded. "You're welcome. You can leave now."

"See you tomorrow?"

Sydney studied him. He wasn't the type she generally associated with, but she _had _just hit him with a rock. Seeing him again would mean she could make sure he wasn't suffering any long-term effects. "Maybe. If you promise to wear clothes."

Adrian chuckled. "Sure thing."

Sydney made as if to open the door.

"You think I'm wearing something," Adrian interrupted her progress, "but do you really want to take the risk?"

There was ample space between Adrian and the door. Enough space for Sydney to see things she really rather wouldn't—if he was telling the truth. Which he wasn't.

She sighed and dropped her hand. "Fine. Risk infection."

Adrian grinned once more before slipping below the surface.

It might've just been the poor lighting, or the water distorting things, but Sydney could almost swear that before he disappeared completely… she saw a tail.


	5. The Sorting Hat Says

**The Sorting Hat Says:**

Sydney fiddled with the sleeve of her robe and listened to the thrum of the train.

"… what they say about ghosts, anyway. I personally believe we can't make that conclusion until all other options are explored."

"Yes, yes. Well, I must confess, I didn't pay much attention to that part of _Hogwarts, A History_. I was more interested in what it had to say about the layout of the castle. Some of it is absolutely genius, but the rest just doesn't make sense." Sydney was spouting sentences without really listening to what she was saying. "I'm hoping I'll be able to make sense of the more nonsensical sections in person."

"I wholly agree. I'll bet the library has something on that." Ian offered. "Shall we make a day of it?"

"That would be lovely." Sydney accepted his offer and continued to fiddle with her robes.

Ian broached another topic and Sydney realized, belatedly, that her new outfit already had a loose string. She wasn't even off the Hogwarts Express yet!

Finally, she just couldn't take it, and interrupted. "Aren't you even a bit nervous?"

"About what?" Ian asked—clueless.

"About the sorting ceremony!"

Ian looked taken aback. "Not particularly, no. I'm certain to be in Ravenclaw, and I rather like that. Are you worried?" He said it like he couldn't imagine such a thing.

"Well," Sydney blushed, "yes."

"You're a Sage." He said confidently. "You come from a long, long line of Ravenclaws and Slytherins, and I can already tell you're _bound_ to land a spot in Ravenclaw."

Sydney nodded. "That's what I was thinking… but, you never know what the sorting hat will decide."

"Is this about your sister?" Ian asked. "How she got sorted into Hufflepuff?"

"No." _Well, a little_.

"Because, from what I've heard, even your father didn't think she'd land herself in either of the two houses. It's different for you, though."

_That's the thing…_

"Some things you just know." Ian wrapped up his speech. "And everybody who knows you knows you're going to get into Ravenclaw."

The rest of the ride passed in a blur that Sydney later couldn't recall for the life of her. She retreated completely into herself, and switched on the autopilot. She carried out a conversation with Ian, only interrupted by the arrival of a woman selling candy off a trolley.

The train braked to a stop, and Sydney stood and slowly walked with her future classmates off the train.

"Firs' years follow me!" A giant of a man bellowed, his voice and size barely making an impression on her. "Any more firs' years? This way, then!"

Sydney followed mindlessly, stumbling down a steep path that led to a pitch black lake.

It was on the boat that she finally slammed out of her stupor. She looked around her. There was Ian, and two girls she didn't recognize.

"I said my name is Lissa," one girl said, catching her glance, "and this is Rose."

"I'm Sydney."

Lissa smiled. "You already said that. You must be really nervous!"

Before Sydney could admit that yes, she was incredibly so, Ian interrupted.

"I've told you, you're going to get into Ravenclaw." He sounded amused. And a bit condescending.

"Just let me be worried, okay?" Sydney snapped and stared into the dark waters.

"Okay." Ian sounded less sure now. "I just… I mean, you _have_ to make Ravenclaw."

"I know." Sydney sighed. _I wish people would stop saying that_.

"Well, I think she can be worried if she wants to be." The other girl, Rose, spoke up. "We might know what houses we're going to be sorted into, but not everyone is like that."

"I don't know what house I want to be in." Lissa said kindly. "I'd like to be in Gryffindor with Rose, but I just don't know if I'm a Gryffindor kind of person."

"You are." Rose assured her.

Lissa gave her a pointed look.

"But I promised that I wouldn't say that again, so I won't." Rose grinned. "Hey, Sydney, I'll bet you didn't even notice Hogwarts when Hagrid pointed it out, if you weren't paying attention. It's there." She pointed.

And, man-o-man, it _was_ there. Sydney didn't know how she'd missed it.

In its full glory, with her own eyes, Sydney was seeing Hogwarts.

The eleven-year-old fell into a hush that eleven-year-olds don't usually fall into. She was captivated.

To her disappointment, the boats made their way into a dark tunnel set into the cliff face. They were soon being ushered out of the boats and onto a rocky path. They stumbled up the pebbly incline and came out in Hogwarts' front yard.

The front door loomed above them—thick and wooden—as huge and as awe inspiring as Sydney could ever have imagined.

"Careful, now. The ghost Peeves is particularly fond of this area. Watch yer 'eads." The big man warned, but they made it through without incident.

They were met by an elderly looking witch with dark hair pulled tight into a bun—Professor McGonagall; Hagrid had said—who took them from there and instructed them to keep up. It wasn't easy, as her pace was brisk and Sydney was rather short, but she managed.

They finally stopped in a room off the side of the hall. It was rather crowded, with all of them in there at once.

"Goodness, we smell." She heard someone remark before everyone was hushed.

"Welcome to Hogwarts," Professor McGonagall said. She went on to explain how they would be sorted into a house, how each house was noble, how houses were like families. Sydney knew all this information by heart. She recited it in her head, bit by bit.

She began to bounce up and down on the balls of her feet—something very unlike her.

"I shall return soon, please wait quietly." The professor abruptly ended her address and left.

Sydney's heart beat to the low murmur of anxious whispers.

The minutes ticked by like hours.

Finally, Professor McGonagall swept back into the room. "This way, single file, please." Was all she said.

Sydney jumped into line behind Ian.

They entered the grandest, most spectacular room Sydney had ever been in. Floating candles, an enchanted ceiling, and oh, wow, just everything. It was a dream, but Sydney had eyes only for the infamous sorting hat.

And when all the first years were in their proper places, facing the crowd of on looking students, she finally found it. Set by McGonagall on a simple four-legged stool was a ratty, tatty, and very pointy hat.

Before she could give a second thought to catching lice, it began to sing. It was a well composed song and it sounded quite nice, but it only highlighted her worries.

_I will be in Ravenclaw_. Sydney reassured herself throughout the tune. _If not naturally, then at least by process of elimination. Nothing else fits._

While she'd been wallowing in her worries, the professor had pulled out a large parchment and called. "Ashford, Mason."

A skinny red-head stepped out from the line and headed over to the hat. Placing it on his head, he sat on the stool and waited.

"GRYFFINDOR!" It yelled, and the table on the far left burst into cheers. He had a wide smile plastered to his face. It was clear he was happy about the sorting.

And so the sorting went. "Badica" and then "Castile". "Dragomir" and "Hathaway" were the girls from the boat; they were both sorted into Gryffindor. Several others were sorted, and before she knew it, it was Ian's turn.

"Sit with me once you're sorted, okay?"

Sydney promised she would.

Not to her surprise, "Jansen, Ian" was placed in Ravenclaw. He grinned at her. Her heart sank even further.

However, her thoughts took another turn at the next name.

"Ozera, Christian." McGonagall said.

Ozera was definitely a name Sydney was familiar with. They'd been Death Eaters of the darkest kind. Loyal servants to Voldemort, they'd been hunted down and killed by the most skilled of aurors. If rumors were to be listened too, Christian had seen it all with his own eyes.

The Slytherins looked on expectedly, smirking amongst themselves.

But the hat proclaimed "GRYFFINDOR!" and you couldn't have found a faster way to blanket the room in silence.

After a moment of still, Christian rose from the stool, set the hat back down, and walked coolly over to the Gryffindor table, where not a single set of hands were clapping.

He sat at the end, a pocket of space surrounding him.

"Rinaldi, Mia." Was the name that broke the quiet.

So the sorting carried on, and all too soon, "Sage, Sydney".

Well, her moment couldn't be any worse than Christian Ozera's, could it?

Sydney walked up to the stool. She felt Ian's eyes from the Ravenclaw table, Carly's from the Hufflepuff table, she even felt the sleazy eyes of Keith Darnell from the Slytherin table—whom she hadn't seen in years.

She took her seat, felt the fabric of the hat slip over her head, and didn't dare breathe.

_How interesting_, was the first thing she heard it say. _You certainly have brains, I'll give you that. Just look at all the potential. Reserved, as well. If there's one thing to say, it's that you are definitely nothing like your father. How interesting… you wish to be Ravenclaw? But there is something… ah, yes, there it is. Such a desire to prove yourself. And such a heart. My dear, let me advise you in this—you will find your home in…_

"GRYFFINDOR!" The hat called.

Sydney was frozen. Cheers sounded from the Gryffindor table, and Sydney slowly, mechanically took the hat off. Ian's face displayed a look of surprise, as did her sister's.

This was her worst nightmare. This was her very worst, most horrifying nightmare. This was what she'd feared.

And it had just happened.

She looked over at the table, full of smiling Gryffindors. Her sight roved over the faces of the other first years and her eyes caught Christian's.

Was this how he'd felt? No. Probably not. He'd have been a lot more humiliated. At least people were clapping for her.

Though, they definitely shared the same sense of not belonging to their new house. She could feel it in her face and saw it reflected in his.

He belonged in Slytherin and she belonged in Ravenclaw. That's just how it was. But they'd been sorted into Gryffindor.

He slowly, cautiously, tentatively nodded to a seat next to him, and Sydney's gaze darted away from his.

She made her way to the table, making her way for a smiling Lissa and a cheering Rose.

Christian looked down as she passed; she could tell he knew he'd been snubbed, that she didn't want to sit with him. She _hadn't_, but something occurred to her, and all too conscious of the stares, she did.

She didn't want to be congratulated for getting Gryffindor, she wanted to merely get through this meal, and she got the feeling Christian wanted the same. She wouldn't have to put on a face for him.

"Hi." Was all he said.

"Hi." Was all she said.

They sat in silence through the last of the sorting—"Zekelos, Jesse", though the Headmaster's speech, and as they loaded their plates.

"You didn't expect to be a Gryffindor." Christian stated the obvious.

"No." Sydney said, hot tears prickling at the back of her eyes. "I know I belong in Ravenclaw. I just _know_ it, but the hat insisted otherwise." She sighed helplessly. "I can only imagine what my father will say when he finds out."

"_I_ can only imagine what my father would say." Christian chuckled darkly.

"Oh, right." Sydney said. She shoveled a forkful of potatoes into her mouth.

"Not that I'd want to be in Slytherin." He added. "They seem like a nasty lot."

"Really?" Sydney asked, surprised. "I just… I figured…"

"That I'd take after _them_?" He raised an eyebrow and shook his head. "I'm nothing like them, and I don't want to be. Though, I'm not sure a Gryffindor is what I want to be, either."

Sydney nodded. "My father was Slytherin."

"Maybe they knew each other. Our fathers, I mean." Christian said and took a bite of his chicken leg.

"Maybe." They had.

The rest of the table looked happy to leave them in their own little bubble. Sure, there were plenty of looks, but Sydney learned to get used to them.

"Is it always like this? The staring?" She'd asked at one point.

"Not always." Christian had shrugged. "Then again, it's not everyday I'm plopped into a mass of Gryffindors."

The time came to sing the school song, and Christian looked like he was seriously debating not joining in, but to Sydney's relief he did. She'd have felt like a fool singing by herself. Everyone finished at different times, as everyone had been singing to a different tune.

It was rather horrible, in Sydney's opinion, but Dumbledore apparently found it quite moving.

And, at last, finally, it was time to go to bed.

Sydney and Christian stood with the rest of the hall and made for the doors, rushing so as to avoid Ian and her sister, who were stuck further back.

"Gryffindors, follow me!" A voice rang out. "Gryffindors!" Sydney couldn't see who was speaking, and couldn't tell what direction the voice came from.

"Gryffindors! Follow me to the Gryffin-door!" It said again, and several laughed at the pun. "Don't loose me!" Considering Sydney hadn't even found him yet, she was quite worried. She was loosing track of his voice.

In a split second everything went wrong. Sydney somehow thought going on her tiptoes, just to get her bearings, would be a good idea.

It wasn't. Especially in the bottleneck of the doorway.

While she paused she was bumped into from behind. She fell flat on her face, and soon found it was impossible to get up.

_I survived the sorting and the feast only to get trampled to death at the door?_

That didn't seem at all fair to Sydney.

"Help!" She called.

More shoes pounded down around her. The people who saw her were careful not to step on her, but they didn't stop and help. They couldn't—they were being pushed ever forward by the mob behind.

Then, thank Merlin, help came.

A hand reached out of the sea of legs and pulled her to her feet.

"You okay?" A boy asked. A third year—if Sydney had to guess—with nice green eyes and a wave of dark hair.

"Yes." Her voice wavered.

"You'll be fine. No need to cry." He reassured her. "You're up now."

He shrugged out of his scarf and wrapped it around her neck. "Not exactly a shock blanket, but it'll have to do."

"I'm in Gryffindor." She stared down at Hufflepuff's colors.

"It'll have to do." He repeated.

"Sydney!" She became aware of someone shouting her name.

Other people became aware of it too, and when they realized it was _Christian Ozera_ who was doing the yelling, they cleared a path. No fighting against the crowd for him.

"Are you okay?" He asked when he got to them. "I looked away for, like, one second and you were gone!"

"I got stuck under the stampede." It sounded lame when she said it.

"Oh," Christian rubbed the back of his head. "I kind of thought you'd decided to… you know, take off."

The boy eyed Christian for a moment, and Sydney thought he was going to take his leave; but, to Sydney's surprise, he began to walk with them.

Sydney shook her head. "I didn't decide anything. I just got taken under."

"I saved her." The boy boasted. "I'm a hero."

"A modest one." Christian remarked. "Lucky you, Sydney."

"Handsome, too." The boy added. "Very lucky Sydney indeed."

"Oh, there you are!" Carly broke out from the sea of bodies and faces. "I lost you for a second, you were so fast! You got into Gryffindor."

"Yes," Sydney sighed. "I wonder what Father will say?"

"It can't be worse than when I was sorted into Hufflepuff." Carly said. "Oh, but we can talk about this later!"

Carly scooped her into the best hug she could offer—given their surroundings.

"I don't suppose you heard the tail end of our conversation, Carly," the boy said, "but I just saved your sister's life."

"Really?" Carly gave him a stern look, but she was smiling. "And why do I doubt that, Adrian?"

Oh.

Adrian Ivashkov. He was in the same class and house as her sister. Carly had gone on endlessly about him last year in her letters _and_ in person. She'd tried her best to act exasperated with him, but it had sounded an awful lot like she had a crush.

When Sydney had said as much, her sister had given a sputtered answer that ended with: "And besides—can you blame me? What girl doesn't like him?"

Her sister's fluttery feelings aside, after hearing all about him, Sydney had thought, _When I am old enough to have a 'type', my type won't be him._

"He did," Sydney came out of her thoughts. "I fell and people kept stepping on me and I couldn't get up."

Carly's eyebrows raised and she took in her sister's rumpled state. "Are you alright?"

"Yes. Just a bit shaken, is all." Sydney dusted herself off.

"Well, well, well. Perfect little rule-following Sydney almost dead on her first night?" She teased. "What ever will we do?"

"Sleep it off." Christian suggested.

Sydney got a real good look at him and realized he was absolutely exhausted. Come to think of it, so was she.

"Where _do_ we sleep?" Sydney wondered.

"See that blonde boy up those stairs?" Her sister pointed. "That's Marcus Finch, he's your prefect. Follow him to your common room. We'll talk more tomorrow!" Carly waved as Sydney and Christian raced to catch up to Marcus.

Sydney stopped halfway up the staircase to drop the scarf back down to Adrian. "Thank you!" She called.

"My pleasure." He answered.

Sydney took back off, catching her breath at a portrait of a fat lady where everyone had stopped. Marcus loudly pronounced a mess of nonsense that could hardly be called a word, in Sydney's opinion.

"That's the password. Everybody commit it to memory."

Christian and Sydney split for their dormitories after a quick farewell and a promise to meet for breakfast.

Sydney had never been so happy to crawl into a bed in her entire life. She closed her eyes, snuggling deep into the blankets, letting their warmth seep into her skin.

"You made friends with Christian Ozera." A voice intruded the haze and peace of her almost-sleep. She rolled on her side to see _"Hathaway, Rosemarie"_. Rose.

"Maybe." Sydney yawned.

"You know he's bound to go bad, right?"

"Rose!" Lissa hissed from the other side of Rose, her hair glimmering in the moonlight.

"You don't know what." Sydney protested.

"Yes I do. Children always become their parents. It's a part of life." Rose said matter-of-factly. "And besides, how could he not?"

"He doesn't want to, for a start." Sydney said. "You're just saying that because you have it lucky. Your mother is a famous auror."

Rose made a face. "I'll _never _be like my mother."

"How can you accuse Christian of being like his parents, then turn around and say you'll never be like your mother?" Sydney asked.

"You don't understand." Rose huffed. "I could still end up like my dad."

"You don't even know him." Lissa said.

"So what?"

"I think you're just a hypocrite." Sydney said, turning so that her back faced Rose.

"Well, I think you're pompous."

"I think you don't even know what that word means."

"I know what it means!"

"I think Sydney's right." Lissa put in.

"Liss!"

"We don't even know Christian." Lissa said. "And you are being a tad hypocritical."

"I'm being cautious. Caution never hurt anyone. His parents were the worst sort of wizard there is. They killed dozens of people." Rose explained. "It's only common sense to think that some of their bad attitude rubbed off on their son."

"Sydney, I think I'll sit with you at breakfast tomorrow." Lissa said. "You _and_ Christian."

"Liss, no! Do you want to kill any social standing we might have? Just stay away from him." She pleaded.

"You don't have to sit with us if you don't want to." Lissa said. "But, I'd ask you to give him a chance before you condemn him."

"Gah, fine." Rose sighed after a minute of silence. "You'll see that I'm right."

**And before you guys say anything: I thought long and hard about where to put each person. If you have questions about why I sorted someone into a certain house just ask!**

**Review, please?**


	6. Next Door (All Human)

**Next Door (All Human):**

Adrian watched his mother, decked out in her best, knock on the heavy wooden door of the house next to their own.

"Smile, sweetie." She reminded him. "We want to make a good impression. You can go back to your games after we've met the new neighbors."

Adrian nodded and plastered a fake grin on his face as the door swung swiftly open.

"Hello?" Asked a cold looking man in a black, wrinkle-free suit. His shoes were polished to a shine, and he was blocking the entrance in a very unwelcoming manner. Adrian immediately decided he didn't like him; he looked too much like his own father for comfort.

"Hello," despite the man's harsh tone, his mother kept her smile in place. "Jared Sage, isn't it? I'm Daniella Ivashkov, and this is my son Adrian. We just wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood."

A woman appeared behind Mr. Sage—Mrs. Sage, presumably. "Oh, how lovely! Why don't you come in? I'm Deborah."

Mr. Sage stepped aside, allowing the two strangers entrance.

"I'm sorry you have to see the place like this," Mrs. Sage said as she led them through a hallway filled with boxes and into a living area. "We're not completely unpacked yet."

"No, no, I can already see this house will be absolutely lovely when all is said and done," his mother said. "I brought cookies."

Ms. Sage smiled, "How thoughtful of you."

She led them into the kitchen, where she pulled five small plates down from a cabinet. "They've been washed." She assured them.

His mother dished cookies and Adrian waited patiently to receive his share. "Jared, would you be a darling and go get the girls?"

Mr. Sage nodded and left the room. Adrian found the space marginally more comfortable without the man's keen gaze weighing him down.

"I have three girls," Mrs. Sage was saying. Adrian knew that much. His mother hadn't stopped gathering intel since they'd moved in. "One of them is about your age. How old are you?" This inquiry was addressed to Adrian.

"Eleven."

"Eleven," she nodded, biting into a cookie, "I bet you'll be in class with Carly."

Adrian shrugged. "Maybe."

"I hope you two get along. It would be so nice for Carly to know someone on the first day at a new school." Mrs. Sage added.

"Oh, I'm sure they will," Adrian's mother said, "and there's always the other neighborhood children. Of course, many of them are a few years younger, but they all get along quite nicely."

_Not really,_ Adrian thought. Mia and Rose couldn't go a day without getting into a smack-down, Natalie was a total nut job –Adrian was the only one who saw it-, and a good number of the boys were in a battle for Rose's heart. Sure, they '_get along quite nicely_'.

Mrs. Sage poured milk into tall glasses. "It's good to know there are friendly kids close by. My eight year old, Sydney, is a bit shy. "

"She's not shy," said a girl—Carly, probably—who'd just entered the kitchen, "she just doesn't like talking to people who aren't boring."

"It's not my fault I don't like makeup yet." Huffed the smallest eight-year-old girl Adrian had ever seen. She was even shorter than Mia—which he hadn't thought possible. Her face was screwed up into a mighty, comically fearsome scowl. It didn't go with her pink sundress.

"Ooh, cookies," Carly bounded up to the plate, her shiny brown curls bouncing as she did.

"Thank Mrs. Ivashkov and Adrian," her mother ordered.

"Thank you." Carly took a big bite.

Sydney, however, was still struggling to pull herself onto the tall barstool that was just a bit too high for her. Her sister reached down to help, but Carly was brushed aside. It took a lot of willpower, and a lot of muscle, but Sydney did it.

Adrian found himself amused despite his efforts to be put out. He wanted to be in his room playing video games right now, not meeting the neighbors. But the cookies and now the girls were distracting him from his mission.

_Cookies and girls, both of my weaknesses in the same room. I. Am. Helpless._

"Thank you, Mrs. Ivashkov. Thank you, Adrian." She said, a little breathlessly, and took a cookie.

"This is Carly and Sydney," their mother introduced them. "Where's Zoe and your Father?"

"Dad said he'd be in his study," Carly shrugged as Sydney's eyes went wide. Her cookie froze halfway to her mouth.

Sydney's look wasn't missed by her mother. "How many times have I told you not to leave your sister alone with your Legos?!" Mrs. Sage rushed out of the kitchen.

"You play with Legos?" Daniella asked, filling the silence that followed Mrs. Sage's departure. "Adrian likes Legos, don't you, Adrian?"

"I've told her a million times that Legos are a boy's toy," Carly said. "She just won't listen."

"I don't think they're just a boy's toy," Adrian protested and took a bite out of his cookie.

"See?" Sydney sent a smug look at her sister, and Adrian got the feeling his comment had just settled an ongoing argument.

"Well, Keith still agrees with me, so you haven't proven anything. We're tied." Carly said.

Well, maybe not settled.

"Hopper thinks I'm right," Sydney said.

"Hopper is a rabbit. He doesn't count." Carly told her sister.

"You have a rabbit named Hopper?" Adrian asked in an attempt to break up the argument. "Cool."

"Do you want to see him?" Carly offered.

"Sure." Adrian followed Carly's lead and jumped down from the stool.

"You kids go on, I'll stay here." Daniella said.

Sydney sighed and said morosely, "But I just got up."

Carly smiled apologetically, "You don't have to get down."

Sydney shook her head. "Hopper loves me best, and he gets nervous around new people. I have to be there."

"You don't know for sure that he loves you best." Carly disagreed as Sydney carefully maneuvered down the stool.

When her feet were firmly back on the ground, they started for a staircase. "Yes I do." Sydney said.

Carly shook her head. "He's an animal. You just can't tell."

"_You_ can't tell," Sydney began to lag a bit behind them, her shorter legs carrying her at a slower speed. "I can."

Carly sent a look at Adrian. _Kids_, it said in an amused tone.

They ran into their mother on the way up, five-year-old Zoe in her arms.

"We're going to show Adrian the bunny," Carly told her.

"Good," She smiled. Then, with a pointed look at Sydney, she added, "Your sister is fine."

Sydney blushed and pressed against the wall so that her mother could pass.

"Zoe swallowed a Lego once," Carly launched into a quick retelling of the epic time their mother had freaked, they'd all traveled to the emergency room, and Zoe had gotten an x-ray. "The doctors said not to worry too much, that it was one of the really tiny pieces and it would be out of her in a couple of days."

"Wow." Adrian said. "I had to go to the emergency room once, but it wasn't nearly as exciting. My dad was having an allergic reaction to kittens."

"Kittens?" Sydney asked incredulously.

Adrian nodded and said very seriously. "He's also allergic to smiles and stained ties, but he's never had to go to the hospital for that before."

"Carly, do you think our Dad is allergic to those things too?" Sydney said as Carly pushed open the door to the designated play-room.

"Maybe," Carly nodded. "It would explain a lot." Carly entered and her two companions followed closely behind. "Here he is."

"He's cute." Adrian said, looking at the rabbit. It was white and fluffy and its nose gave little twitches as he drank his water.

"He's the best rabbit ever." Sydney declared loudly and proudly.

Adrian would have said more, but a bright spot of color caught his eyes. In the corner of the room stood a massive structure of multicolored, interlocking Legos.

He whistled. "You weren't joking when you said you play with Legos."

"It took weeks to get all the pieces to fit right." Sydney told him. "Then, it fell apart in one of the moving trucks. I don't know if I can build it like it was before." She was frowning slightly, now.

Adrian walked over to it, studying it. At first glance there didn't seem to be anything particularly special about the structure. It just looked like a random pyramid of colored blocks, but Adrian could recognize some semblance of order in the heap. "I could help, if you wanted."

"Okay," Sydney said hesitantly. "You have to do what I say, though."

Adrian agreed, and they go to work.

Sydney was only eight, but Adrian was surprised to find she was fairly good at it. Every so often, though, Adrian would make a suggestion and Sydney would crinkle her nose.

"That's not what I did before." She'd say.

"But it's better." Adrian would say.

"You agreed to do whatever I told you to." She'd end the conversation.

Then, nine times out of ten, she would think on it, and then go ahead and do whatever it was that Adrian had suggested (without saying anything.) Adrian couldn't decide if this was annoying or cute. Finally, he settled on a little bit of both.

Carly had fetched a few dolls and was now curling their hair with a real-life curling iron, striking up a new conversation every minute or so.

Adrian was listening to Sydney tell Carly she'd catch a doll on fire if hse kept going at it like that when a new voice penetrated the room.

"Adrian?" His mother's voice rang from down the hall. She appeared in the doorway and smiled when she saw him getting along so well with the neighbor girls. She was a bit surprised to see that he had opted to sit by the younger one. "It's time to go."

"Alright." Adrian stood and stretched. "You know, Sydney, you're not half bad at Legos."

"You too." Sydney returned the compliment.

"Well, see you at school, or around…" Adrian said as way of a goodbye.

"See you," Carly said. "It was nice meeting you both."

"You too, Carly." Daniella waved. "Goodbye, Sydney."

"Goodbye."

Adrian was happy to be back in his own home, to say the least.

"That went well," his mother said. "I really like the Sages, don't you?"

"They're nice." Adrian had told her, then fled to his room.

"Hello, old friends." He greeted the controller and the screen. "Long time no see." He plopped down in front of them, his back to the window.

This window, this lovely window that happened to provide a view of the yard and Sydney Sage's room.

Adrian hadn't even noticed it, and had not an inkling of how important that window would become to him within the next few years.

However; across the street, Sydney noticed. And, wearing a faint blush, she pulled the curtains closed.

**We meet again, old friends.**

**And, in response to all the questions I keep getting: There ****_WILL _****be a sequel chapter to 'The Sorting Hat Says', I am working on it right now.**

**Thank you! Review?**


	7. Quidditch Through the Ages

**Quidditch Through the Ages**

**1****st**** Year:**

Rose was jumping up and down, practically shaking in her boots. Sydney couldn't care less.

"It's Quidditch, Sydney, and the first game of the season. Our first game at Hogwarts! How can you not be excited for this? It's a rite of passage." Rose dropped her notebooks on the bed. "Come on, come on, we have to get good seats!"

"It doesn't start for another hour." She stacked her books neatly on her bedside table. Sydney laughed, letting Rose drag her out the door and down the stairwell. "Don't you think going down so early is absurd?"

Rose rolled her eyes. "Honestly, Sydney, if there was a house for party poopers, that's where you would be right now."

"I'm just being logical." Sydney tried not to be too offended. Honestly, though, with all the big personalities in Gryffindor, she did feel a bit… boring at times.

"That's your problem," Rose sighed, shaking her head. "Come on. I need someone to cheer with, and if you're not going to do it, then we need to find Mason."

"Mason?" Sydney asked. "What about Lissa?"

"Didn't you hear? Her brother was a chaser, but he got injured during practice. She says she wants her first game to be one that he plays in." Rose scowled. "Bloody inconvenient."

"Is he going to be okay?" Sydney asked. "What happened?"

"Crash landing. He'll be fine." They reached the common room.

"Oh my God." Sydney said at the same time Rose choked, "By Merlin!"

Well, they'd found Mason. They'd found him dressed completely in red and gold. Body paint, multiple scarves, and (to top it off) a cape made of flags.

"Does he meet the required level of enthusiasm?" Sydney tried not to giggle.

"Change of plans. We're sneaking off without him." Rose hissed, leading Sydney around the conference room, careful to stay out of the monstrosity's line of sight. "You and your _logical_ ways will have to do."

They made it out onto the stairwell, and Sydney finally let her laughter loose.

"Stop laughing. We've been seen with him." Rose said, fighting a smile. Then she gave up and let it show. "Gosh, I shudder to think how badly he's going to get teased for this."

"He'll never live it down." Sydney agreed.

"Do you think it was on a dare?" Rose asked.

Sydney shook her head. "Knowing Mason, I'd say it was entirely his idea."

When they reached the main hall, Sydney led Rose off to the side and said, "Give me a second. I need to tie my shoe."

Rose nodded, then scowled. "Hang on, I've told you a million times. We're not waiting for Christian."

"And I've told you: he has detention." Sydney sighed. "Honestly, I'm just tying my shoe."

"Stopping to the side of the door this time, I see. You've learned." Sydney looked up at the sound of Adrian's voice.

"Yes. No pausing in doorways for me." Sydney double knotted her shoe laces and stood up.

"Rose, this is Adrian Ivashkov. Adrian, this is Rose Hathaway." Sydney made the introductions, looking hesitantly behind Adrian. "I don't know who they are." She told Rose.

"Oh, these are my friends." Adrian said. "The pretty one is Rowena and the other one is Micah."

"Hi," Sydney said.

"Hey," Rose greeted.

"What are you two up to?" Adrian asked. "Sneaking off to Hogsmeade? I should warn you: the shopkeepers will tattle back to the professors the minute they see you."

"Are you speaking from experience?" Sydney wondered.

"I did try and warn him." Rowena said, rolling her eyes. "He just doesn't listen."

"We're actually going to watch the Quidditch match." Rose informed them.

"It doesn't start for another hour, you know." Adrian said.

"She knows." Sydney sighed.

"You won't be so glum about it when we watch Gryffindor win from the best seats." Rose said.

Rowena shook her head. "Sorry to burst your bubble, but Gryffindor's going down. Ravenclaw has a three year winning streak."

"Let's not forget they have Belikov." Adrian said. "And with Dragomir in the hospital wing, they might actually stand a chance."

"What's wrong with the way Andre plays?" Rose asked, insulted on behalf of Lissa's brother.

"He's too easily distracted by pretty girls." Rowena answered. "It cost Gryffindor the Quidditch Cup last year when he was too busy eyeing Carly Sage to make a goal."

"Sydney!" Rose elbowed her.

"It's not my fault he thinks my sister is pretty!" Sydney protested.

"Well, if Andre does play again, it's up to you to keep her away from the pitch." Rose said.

Adrian snorted. "A man much like myself, Andre Dragomir does not eye the same woman twice. You won't have to worry about Carly."

Sydney raised an eyebrow. "What did you just say?"

"Ignore him," Rowena said. "He likes to think he's more mature than he really is."

"I'm thirteen," Adrian defended himself. "That's three months older than you!"

"Come on," Micah grabbed his arm, smiling. "We're going to be late for the study session."

"Alright. See you later, girls." He let himself be dragged away.

Rose sighed and shook her head. "You make the oddest friends, Sydney."

"Yes, I've got quite a collection. You're my prize piece." Sydney giggled as Rose chased her down the steps.

"I wasn't talking about me!"

**2****nd**** Year:**

"Come on," Eddie begged while piling egg onto his plate. "Why not?"

"Because I don't want to." Sydney said.

"How can you say that?" Rose asked. "You've never even tried."

Sydney set her fork down. "You guys, I've watched plenty of Quidditch matches, and not once have I ever felt the slightest desire to join in."

"What about the flying lessons in first year?" Eddie remembered. "You were the best flyer in the class, and you loved it. Don't deny it, I saw your face."

"We all saw your face." Rose said. "You would rock it, Sydney."

"Fine. I like flying," Sydney took a bite of toast, "but that doesn't mean I'd enjoy Quidditch."

"What are we talking about?" Mason said as he and Lissa walked over to the table.

"Wait," Lissa took in their faces. "What are we _arguing_ about?"

"Sydney doesn't think Quidditch is the sport for her." Rose explained. "We're trying to get her to see the light."

"What?" Mason snorted, taking up the cause. "Sydney, it's the perfect sport for you."

**3****rd**** year:**

_Well, they'd done it. It had taken an entire year of cajoling and charts and who knew what else, but they'd done it._ Adrian thought as he cheered on the bleachers with the rest of his house. Though, he wasn't cheering exclusively for Hufflepuff. His cheers were, in part, for Sydney Sage.

"Oh! Gryffindor beater, Rose Hathaway, sends a bludger right at Hufflepuff's keeper. He's down, and chaser Dimitri Belikov makes the goal! Another ten points to Gryffindor!" The announcer's voice boomed across the pitch.

"No!" His housemates despaired; they were loosing badly to Gryffindor. Another ten points and not even the snitch would be able to save them.

Adrian watched as the players zigzagged across the field, following and tossing the various balls. Rose caught his eye for a moment. She was quite a spectacle in all that red and gold, but it was when his eyes came back to Sydney that he really focused.

She had that expression on her face—the one he'd be able to recognize a million miles away—and he knew she'd spotted the snitch. Carly had caught on too, evidently, and she was cheering louder than anyone around them.

A fleck of gold became visible, Sydney's hand stretched out, and, "Gryffindor seeker, Sydney Sage, has caught the snitch! Gryffindor wins!"

Adrian was upset by Hufflepuff's loss, of course, but looking at a grinning Sydney, dwarfed by her clunky Quidditch gear, he couldn't help but smile.

"Well," Adrian told her after the game on the way back up to the castle, "congratulations."

Sydney was beaming. "That was fantastic! Wasn't it fantastic?"

"We told you you'd like it," Mason told her. "Didn't we tell her, Beater Hathaway?"

"That we did, Beater Ashford." Rose agreed.

"I should probably get going before I'm seen with an enemy seeker during a time of mourning." Adrian clapped a hand on her shoulder.

Carly hugged her sister close. "Well, _I'm_ going to walk her all the way back up to the castle."

"Good job, Sydney," Dimitri said, smiling.

"Hey, Chaser Belikov, do you remember that time Seeker Sage tried out and you nearly passed her over for some clunky fourth year?"

"Yeah, well, that clunky fourth year is the one protecting your goal, so watch what you say." Trey Juarez warned.

While they bickered, Adrian leaned over and said softly, "You're really adorable in Quidditch gear, just so you know."

**4****th**** year: **

Sydney hadn't even seen the bludger coming. It was like it had just materialized. In her shoulder.

Ah, well, it was over with now; though, she could feel herself bruising.

"…and then you fell right off. Everyone in the stands was worried, but those nasty Slytherins kept on playing without a second glance. I think they had it planned. Anyway, then Rose sent a bludger at their keeper's gut and knocked him right off his broom. They caught the snitch, of course, but we'd made enough goals that we didn't loose too embarrassingly. We were only 30 points behind." Mason finished his retelling of the events she'd been passed out for.

"Did you see which beater sent the bludger at me?" Sydney asked.

"That one-eyed Darnell guy," Trey scowled.

"I wanted to jump him as soon as he came out of the locker room, but Captain Finch said we can do that later, when people won't have as much reason to suspect us."

"Thanks Rose," she nodded to her friend, "and you, Marcus. I feel loved. Though, beating him up probably isn't such a good idea."

"It's the head wound talking," Marcus assured Rose when she opened her mouth. "She'll see sense when she's healed. Maybe we'll even rope her into helping us."

Lissa leaned down and said, "Don't worry. I'll keep them out of trouble."

"Thanks."

"Coming through, coming through. Family coming through." Carly pushed past Sydney's teammates and made it to the bed. "Merlin," Carly winced when she saw her sister, "you look terrible."

Sydney nodded and sighed. "Yeah, I know."

"Well, if Dad thought there was any chance of me even _considering _Keith, it just went down the drain." Carly informed her sister.

Before Sydney could answer, there was a bustling at the door, and the sound of a very upset boy.

"What's going on?" Sydney asked, for she could not see past the wall of red and broomsticks.

"It's Keith," Rose told her, sounding impressed. "It looks like someone got to him before we did."

Trey and Mason both backed away so that Sydney could see, and Rose was right.

When Keith caught her eye, he spat, "Tell your little boyfriend I'll be seeing him again, will you?"

"Boyfriend?" Sydney said at the same time as Carly.

Madam Pomfrey began dabbing at his face with a wet cloth. He reared back and she said, "Now, now, it's just a broken nose. Nothing a healing charm can't handle."

"Boyfriend?" Carly repeated.

Sydney was at a loss.

"You tell Adrian Ivashkov he hasn't seen the last of me," Keith said when Madam Pomfrey left to get a clean rag. "Tell him, next time, it'll be him with the broken nose! Or worse!"

**5****th**** Year:**

"You know," Carly said as she watched Adrian track her sister around the course. "If I didn't know better, I'd say you liked her."

"Her?" Adrian asked vaguely. "I like a lot of hers. Could you be more specific?"

Carly rolled her eyes. "You know what 'her' I'm talking about."

Adrian shrugged. "McGonagall's alright, but don't go getting the wrong ideas. There's no way I'd be taking her class if—"

"I'm talking about Sydney, you buffoon." Carly interrupted.

"Oh. Sure, I like Sydney." Adrian said. "Who doesn't?"

"But you like her a bit more than most folks, yes?" Carly put the binoculars to her face and looked at her sister—who was currently racing alongside Rowena of Ravenclaw, both with their eyes on the golden snitch.

"I like all girls a bit more than most folk." When he caught the pointy end of her glare, he sighed. "Isn't your sister practically engaged to that Jansen fellow, anyway?"

"They're friends," Carly snorted, "that's hardly engaged."

"He likes her." Adrian said. "Maybe as much as I do."

"Yes, he's got a bit of a crush on Sydney, but she likes you more than she likes him." Carly pointed out.

"She said that?" Adrian asked nonchalantly.

"No, but I'm her sister. I know these things." Carly lifted the binoculars back up.

"Well, liking me more than that kid isn't a hard thing to do." Adrian rested his head on a fist. "He's got the personality of a potato sack."

Carly laughed. "Agreed."

"What about that Brandon fellow?" Adrian brought up another boy. "Didn't they date for a while? What if she still carries a torch?"

"She doesn't." Carly said flatly. "Believe me, she doesn't."

"Well, it's obvious she has a thing for Ravenclaw boys, so—"

"By Merlin, Adrian!" Carly interrupted. "Just stop it, okay? It's your last year at Hogwarts and if you don't make your move soon, she'll have slipped through your fingers! Don't you understand that?" Carly looked him in the eyes. "You two are going into completely different career fields in completely different countries. When do you think you'll see her again, if ever?"

Adrian set his jaw, "What makes you so sure she'll even think about saying yes?"

"I'm her sister. I know these things." Carly sighed. "She likes you a lot, Adrian."

Adrian shook his head. He distantly heard the roar of the crowd get louder. "She can do so much better than some guy who's probably going to end up a bum muggle artist living off his parents—"

"I've seen your art, you're not going to be a bum, and stop acting like you will."

"Well, what about Rose?"

"What about her? You broke up. You've been broken up for months now."

"I don't want Sydney to think she's some kind of rebound—"

"Stop with the excuses." Carly's temper was getting shorter and shorter. "You are going to wait by the Gryffindor locker room door, greet her as she comes out, congratulate her, and walk with her. You are going to pull her aside and ask her on a proper date. Got it?"

"Got it." Adrian said, a bit relieved to have been defeated.

"Good. Let's go." Carly stood up.

"Wait, what?" Adrian looked at the pitch and realized the game had ended. "Who won?"

"Gryffindor," Carly smacked him upside the head. "Why else would you be congratulating her?"

**6****th**** Year: **

It felt a bit odd.

Their road hadn't been a smooth one, and there had been some pretty frightening fights, but it occurred to her very suddenly that she'd taken his attendance for granted.

This was her first time playing without Adrian in the stands, ever.

He'd always been the steady, cheering presence in the audience she could count on. Even before they'd started dating, he'd been there.

She shook those thoughts out of her head. She couldn't think about him right now.

Adrian was gone, but so was Rowena. Ravenclaw had an entirely new seeker, and that's where her focus needed to be.

**7****th**** Year: **

_This is my last game_, Sydney thought as she looked around.

The pitch was much the same. Perhaps the grass was a bit less green than her first time out, but that hardly mattered.

The team, however, had changed drastically. The captain had been Dimitri Belikov when she'd first joined, then Marcus Finch, and now the position was in possession of the one and only Rose Hathaway.

Marcus had graduated, and Angeline Dawes, an absolute wild card, had joined. Trey had graduated, and the stoic Neil Raymond had been tacked on. Mason was… _murdered_, and Eddie had stepped in.

The team was definitely different.

"Beater Dawes, aim for their heads." Rose ordered. "We already know those snakes will play dirty, so be prepared to fight back. Keeper Castile, no matter what you do, do _not_ let them score a point in _our_ goal. Seeker Sage—get that snitch."

**So, there's that. I'm thinking about doing something with Jill or Zoe or Wolfe or something (still undecided, can you tell?) so this is probably not the last of the Hogwarts au's.**

** Anyway, please review? Anyone still out there?**


	8. Pirates Pt 3

After nearly three weeks on the ship, Sydney had a sort of rhythm worked out.

In the evenings (well, mornings, now) she took her breakfast with Adrian—talking to him more and more each day but still eating the same, scant amount. Then, she could be found holed up in her room until Abe invited her to walk around the deck. They would engage in simple, strained conversation before parting. Sydney might spend a bit more time up on deck, gazing mournfully out to sea, but ultimately she returned to her cabin and locked herself in. Diner would arrive soon after, and she would be joined by Adrian or Rose or Dimitri, or sometimes all three.

"So," Adrian said on what, unknown to Sydney, would be her last 'evening' aboard _The Zmey_. "Abe is leaning toward letting you wander a bit through the next city we dock in. It'll be later today, if the winds hold."

_Dock in_, Sydney thought sarcastically. What she said aloud was, "When will he let me go completely?"

Adrian shifted in his seat, "Soon, I'm sure." That was always his answer. Soon. "It's actually quite strange that he's kept you this long. It won't be much longer."

Sydney nodded, not daring to take his word to heart.

"Let's not focus on that. Let's think about… what you're going to wear." Adrian headed over to the chest where she had grudgingly, reluctantly, scowling-ly, unpacked her dresses.

"I'd prefer it if you didn't dig through my things." She said sharply.

Adrian paused, then shrugged and leaned against the wall. "Well, you'll need something you can stretch your legs in. And something witchy-trick friendly, just in case you get the urge to curse a merchant."

"We agreed not to talk about that." More like Sydney refused to say anything when he brought it up.

"Believe me Sydney, magic or no, where we're headed, you're going to want to throw something nasty at most everyone. You'd best be prepared."

Something in his voice made her pause. Her eyes narrowed.

"Where _are _we going?"

Adrian grinned apologetically. "Let's call it… Pirate Central?"

Sydney sighed. "Oh. That's why Abe's letting me off?"

Adrian's face turned serious. "We're all hoping you have the sense to not try and pull something. Believe me; compared to the guys we'll be seeing, Abe is a saint, even if he is a Moroi."

Sydney gulped. She could've guessed that.

"Don't worry, though. You'll have a guard."

"You?"

"Half of the time. Someone else—Christian, I think—will be with you the other half." Adrian told her, sitting back down at the small table.

"How many Moroi will there be in _'Pirate Central'_?" She asked, surprised that question hadn't occurred to her sooner.

"Some, but not too many. Not many human pirates know about us, and the ones who do aren't exactly friendly. We'll only be there for a day or so." Adrian said while swirling the butter knife around in the jam.

"It's odd." Sydney said abruptly, starting in on one of those rare moments when she said exactly what was on her mind. "Funny, even. No, funny isn't the right word. Ironic, maybe? Ironic that pirates are so often viewed as lesser educated fools. But those fools know more about the world, more about the dark, than most scholars."

Adrian nodded. "True. Although, most of what they 'know' about us is jumbled with Strigoi lore or completely made up."

"It's more than regular people know."

"You almost sound…" Adrian trailed off, unsure (for once, it seemed) of what Sydney was feeling. Her aura was a knot of colors that he didn't know how to untangle.

"I'm not upset. It would be a disaster if your kind were to be rediscovered, I know that." Sydney shivered. "Could you imagine the chaos? And then the Strigoi…"

"It's not my idea of fun either."

There was a moment of silence.

"You'll need to cover any affiliating tattoos. I know you have at least one."

-0-

The crowd of the island city ebbed and flowed, a current of colors and dirt. It was an optical illusion of people.

For a moment, Sydney thought she saw Jaclyn Terwilliger, the village woman who'd first pushed Sydney into the world of witchcraft. A second glimpse, caught on tip-toes, revealed a woman much younger and darker-haired than her teacher. Perhaps a relative?

But then she was gone, replaced by stranger faces.

Adrian hadn't been wrong when he'd told Sydney she'd want to 'throw something nasty' at the merchants. There were few to begin with, and fewer still who were likely to have _actual_ wares. Most were piggish scams. She calmed herself by running through a mental list of curses she was able, and willing, to cast.

They went unscathed, unaware of the peril they'd escaped.

Another thing that bothered Sydney were the sheer number of girls who called out to Adrian as they walked by, sidling up and leaving not a breath of space. Adrian promised the same to each—"Later," accompanied by a smirk and a wink—and politely freed himself.

"Don't give me that look. I'm doing them a favor." Adrian had said after the third gaggle. There'd been nothing more said on the matter.

By observing body language, Sydney could easily tell which humans knew Adrian was a vampire and which didn't. She could also tell the extent of their vampiric knowledge, more or less. Some even—the fools—carried clearly labeled jars of holy water.

"So, they just let you walk among them?" Sydney asked at one point.

"For the most part. There are vigilantes, hunters, but few others venture beyond dirty looks." Adrian answered.

"I understand why we're not staying long."

She winced. She hadn't meant to say 'we'.

-0-

The sun was setting when they arrived at the entrance to the port. This was where Adrian's foretold "later" would officially commence.

Sydney looked out on a horizon dotted with black flags. "I never realized there were so many of you. And this is just a small gathering."

"We're a big bunch." Adrian agreed.

"That's a lot of looting." Sydney began doing the numbers in her head.

She was startled out of her calculations when Adrian called, "Christian! You took your sweet time. Did you pick us some flowers?"

Christian sauntered over to them, his boots falling heavily on planks of rough wood. "The meeting time was sunset. I don't know what you see when you look to the west, but I see a sunset.

"Have you been feeding her?" Christian asked.

Sydney had been sailing on _The Zmey_ for several weeks, but some of he crew still had trouble speaking to Sydney directly. Granted, she also had trouble speaking to them, but Christian didn't have to act like she wasn't there.

Adrian answered, not entirely kindly, "I fed her around 3:00, but I haven't watered her in a while."

"Then we'll walk to the bars with you, and we can return to the ship after." This last part, finally, was addressed to Sydney.

They began the walk back into town, but Sydney didn't take part in the small talk. She was focusing on her shock, unable to believe she'd felt relief at being told she would soon return to the ship. By admitting to relief, she'd admitted she would rather be trapped on a boat of begin vampires than wandering a town with humans like the ones in 'Pirate Central' (she still wasn't sure what the city was called).

Sydney and Christian entered a bar of, if not quality, than at least better lighting than the ones surrounding it. Like the one Adrian had ducked into.

Christian and Sydney were seated at a table near the middle, as the ones in the corners were unfortunately taken.

She'd ordered a soup, figuring she could solve the problem of possibly contaminated drinks and the need for sustenance at once and as quickly as possible.

Christian tried to start up small talk, but… something about this was wrong. It should've been Adrian across from her, trying to engage her. Not some near-stranger whose name she'd only learned the day before.

But, Adrian was off doing whatever those winks and smirks had promised. She didn't want to think about that.

In the act of avoiding eye contact with the Moroi in front of her, she found a new set of peepers to meet.

He was handsome, she supposed, but that didn't count for anything around people like these.

His eyes darted between her and Christian, who had given up chatting and was now devoting his time to a tankard of ale. Then, like so many observers before him, his gaze traveled to her neck.

Sydney felt her face flush with anger, and she dramatically swept back her hair, revealing her untarnished skin. She made a face at him and his head did a 180.

Sydney slumped back in her seat. She was tired of people checking to see if she was a feeder. She finally let herself freely, articulately think, _it will be a relief to leave_.

"Don't let it get to you." Christian said.

"What?" Sydney asked.

"The looks," Christian clarified. "I have a lot of experience with those, and believe me, it's best to just not let them bother you."

Sydney took another sip of broth before replying, "That's easier said than done."

"True." Christian digressed.

He would have said more, but just then a low chime sounded, hushing the crowd.

There was a moment, a moment in which nothing moved. _What is going on? What is happening?_ She wondered.

But that bell, that ominously low-pitched bell, told her something was very wrong.

Christian cussed.

And then there was pandemonium.

Christian tried to reach for her over the table, but they were both swept away, carried by the mass of the crowd.

The streets were flooded with panic—and various states of undress—by the time Sydney was finally squeezed through the door and out onto the main street.

Swords were being drawn, and several people were accidently run through, and everyone was headed a different way. Some were rushing to battle while others rushed away from it. Though, seeing as no one knew where the attackers were, no one was making any sort of progress.

It was absolute disarray, and Sydney had never been more alone.

Then, "Sydney!"

Sydney felt a bruising grip clench around her hand, and she was being led through the bedlam. Her wrist ached, but she could have cried for joy when she was yanked out of the confused, deadly bustle and into a side alley.

"Adrian." She gathered herself, taking in deep breaths and slowing her heart.

He didn't let go, didn't even loosen his grip.

"Are you alright?" He asked.

"What's going on?" Sydney asked.

"We're being attacked." Adrian said.

Sydney was a bit disappointed by the pirate's lack of composure. "Doesn't this happen all the time? Why is everyone so scared?"

"Not by Strigoi, it doesn't." Adrian said. "Even those who don't know about Moroi know what that bell means. It means monsters."

Sydney's breath stuck in her throat.

Adrian was pulling on her wrist again, and she stumbled along. The back ways he took were far less crowded then the main roads, and she was grateful for it. She was still jostled by passerby, but it was a far cry from the turmoil just blocks away.

"Where are we going?" She was gasping for air again.

"The port."

But the port was on fire. Ships manned with enough people to set sail were pulling away without their comrades, and those that couldn't push off were incinerators.

"There," Adrian spotted a ship that looked promising.

They were running again, sprinting.

For a moment, their path was blocked by a looming creature with red eyes and a hungry smile. She saw his fangs and her mind went blank.

Later, Adrian would tell her that Dimitri Belikov took him out, and they hadn't stopped running, despite Sydney's blackout.

Then she was jumping alongside Adrian, several others following behind them, and they were on the ship. They were going away and that was all that mattered.

The disorder on the ship was easier for Sydney to handle than the disorder in the city. She was given tasks and she did them, even though it was clear she was no sailor. She and Adrian never strayed far from each other and finally, finally, when the lights of the fires and the sounds of dying, screaming people faded, Sydney woke up.

And promptly slumped against a pole.

Her eyes were slumping too. Slumping, slumping… slumping…

"Hey there, little one. You're one of the prettier additions to my crew, you know. Even covered in soot."

Sydney looked up with heavy lids to see a man not much older than herself. Pieces of Adrian's earlier advice—had it really been just that morning?—floated back to her in slow, hazy waves. _Believe me; compared to some of the guys we'll be seeing, Abe is a saint._

She roused herself and studied him.

He didn't seem like much of a threat, but still, she said, "I'll be on my way soon."

The man laughed, crouching down to her level. "Stay as long as you like. You've had quite the day. Would you like some cheese?" He held out a chunk.

"Are you really a pirate?" The question was out of her mouth before she could stop it. She was afraid she'd insulted him, but he just laughed, as if she'd said something incredibly funny.

"No, I just like the good company you find on a black-flag island." Sydney wasn't entirely sure what that was supposed to mean—was he joking or was he really a pirate?—but she forced a small smile anyway.

He stood up, addressing the crowd. "Well, that was exciting!" He said, his eyes sparkling. How could he be so upbeat? Had he seen that blazing city?

"Fresh faces," he grinned at them. "You must all be tired and hungry, and I hope you find our boat hospitable. Welcome to the…" he sighed. "Damn. Sabrina, darling, we really need to name this ship."

"I'll get on it, Captain Finch."

-0-

Sydney's forehead pressed against the railing and her eyes watched the waves with an almost obsessive avidness. She'd assumed the position just minutes before, after nightmares chased her out of sleep.

She heard footsteps, prayed they would pass her by, but they didn't. In her peripheral vision she saw Adrian take a seat next to her.

"You were screaming." He said softly.

"I'm sorry if I woke you." Sydney said, not taking her eyes off the waves.

"Don't apologize." He said.

They listened to the waves lap against the side of the ship.

"For all my reading and insider knowledge, I'd never seen a real vampire—living or dead—before all… this." Sydney paused. "I thought I was scared when I realized you were Moroi. I thought I was scared when I realized I was trapped on your ship. But that wasn't… back on the island, that was fear."

Adrian nodded. "I know.

"I'd never seen one before either, you know. Not up close like that." Adrian finally said. He reached out and fingered the singed edges of her sleeves. "I did tell you to wear something magic-friendly." He whispered; his voice cutting through silence like the ship through the waves below.

"I don't remember casting any spells." Sydney told him.

"You threw a fireball at a Strigoi. Several, actually." Adrian told her.

"Oh."

Sydney pulled her sleeve up a bit, revealing her wrist.

"That's an alchemist tattoo." Adrian recognized it from the few times he'd seen it.

"Among the upper families, it's all the rage. My father had my sisters and I marked immediately. The formula isn't perfect yet, though. It will fade in a few years, and the magic in it fades within months."

Adrian nodded, as if he'd heard this before.

"So… what happens now?" Sydney ventured to ask.

"There's an island we're headed towards. It's just a week away and then we'll be rid of _The Nameless_."

"You don't like it here?" Sydney asked.

"Not particularly. It's nice, but Marcus and his crew are much too…merry for my sensibilities."

"Isn't that what you're all about? Cheer?" She'd not known him long, but Adrian seemed like a joking, happy-go-lucky kind of guy. Like Marcus.

"No. Charming and merry are two entirely different things. What about you, though? Are you coming?" He asked, a note of trepidation in his voice.

"Do you want me to come?"

"I thought we could stick together." Adrian said.

Sydney thought about it.

In the past month, she'd been trapped aboard two strange vessels, with two strange captains, when all she'd wanted was freedom. And Adrian… he was a vampire, he _ate_ people, but right now he was her only friend.

She _needed_ a friend, she would go crazy without one.

So she said, "Okay."


End file.
